•    Irish business costs must be benchmarked internationally.

•    Public Sector still too expensive.

•    Government ineffective policies prolonging recession.

ISME, Thursday 13th September 2012

In response to the latest inflation figure of 2% released today (13th September), ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has once again warned of the continuing threat to business competiveness from state controlled costs, which is being masked in the overall figures. The Association called for a full review of relevant business costs, which should be benchmarked internationally.

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•    Reduced consumer spend masking embedded state cost influence on inflation.
•    Divided Government scared to address profligate public sector.

ISME, Thursday 9th August 2012

Reacting to the latest inflation figures of 1.6%, released today (9th August), ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, demanded that the Government immediately reduce the cost of public services or the competitiveness of Irish business will be decimated. As we have seen time and time again, Government controlled prices are a major part of the problem. Despite falling prices across almost all sectors, the ever-increasing price pattern in sectors controlled by Government is depressing.

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•    Government ‘chickens out’ of tackling cynical greedy bailed-out banks.

•    Rate of inflation driven by government imposed costs on small business.

•    ISME calls for government action on business costs, including bank interest & charges.

ISME, Thursday 12th July 2012

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, in response to the latest CPI figures of 1.7%, has demanded that the government reduce their costs on business and tackle the cynical bailed-out banks on their refusal to reduce interest rates in line with the ECB. Read the rest of this entry »

•Renewed focus on all State imposed business costs required.

•Public expenditure reduction must lead to improved productivity.

ISME, Thursday 12th April 2012. 

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises, in response to the latest inflation figures of 2.2%, has demanded a total examination of all State costs affecting business and a review of ‘An Bord Snip Nua’ to examine progress or the lack of it in relation to those same costs. The Association is concerned that any cost competitiveness gains are being eroded by increases in State costs, undoing the efforts of the private sector. Read the rest of this entry »

• Root and branch review of all State imposed business costs required.
• Embedded ‘State induced’ inflation masked by effects of reduced consumer demand.

ISME, Thursday 15th March 2012.

Responding to the latest inflation figures, showing an annual change of 2.1% to the end of February, ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises, has warned that competitiveness is being threatened by Government sponsored cost increases and called for a targeted campaign to address this issue or suffer the consequences of more business closures and job losses. Read the rest of this entry »

•Government imposed costs still a major obstacle for small business.

•Contradictory Government messages prolonging uncertainty.
ISME, Thursday 23rd February 2012. 

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises, in response to the latest inflation figures, showing an annual change of 2.2% to the end of January, has demanded that cost competitiveness be prioritised by the Government. The Association warned that government sponsored cost increases have a devastating effect on small businesses and threaten to stymie any recovery. Read the rest of this entry »

•Contradictory Government policy leading to job losses.

•Time to Support rather than Strangle business.
ISME, Thursday 19th January 2012.

Despite the slight reduction in the Inflation figures released today, ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association has called for the Government to get ‘stuck into’ addressing the increasing cost burden on business, particularly those that are State imposed. The Association outlined that Government policy was leading to job losses instead of the stated aim of increasing employment.  Read the rest of this entry »

 •Recent Budget increases to negatively impact on business and jobs.

•ISME calls on National Competitiveness Council to carry out a review of SME business costs.
ISME, Thursday 8th December 2011.
ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, in response to the latest Inflation figures released today, has called for the Government to instruct the National Competitiveness Council to carry out a review of costs to SMEs, and benchmark them internationally. The Association outlined that the recent budget has contributed to increasing costs for SMEs, jeopardising companies and jobs. Read the rest of this entry »

•ISME warns against adding to business costs in Budget.

•Real Public sector efficiencies needed to reduce exchequer costs.

•VAT, carbon taxes and other stealth taxes must not be increased.
ISME, Thursday 10th November 2011.
ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, in response to the Inflation figures released today, warned the Government to concentrate on cost reduction rather than any further increases in VAT, carbon taxes or other stealth taxes, in the upcoming Budget, which will impact negatively on business costs, leading to further closures and job losses. Read the rest of this entry »

•Inflation continues to mask high costs to business.

•Exorbitant increases in gas and electricity, well ahead of inflation, to put further pressure on ‘struggling’ companies.
ISME, Thursday 13th October 2011.

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has expressed concern at the significant increase in Inflation, rising from 2.2% last month to 2.6%. The Association outlined that even with the increase in the consumer price index (CPI), in many areas costs to business remain well in excess of the headline inflation rate. Read the rest of this entry »